I
have put these two together because both have a pathology that allows
them to absolutely justify committing abdominal acts without remorse,
while at the same time displaying arrogance.

Bibi has his Gaza Debacle

July 8, 2014

As I write, slightly more than half of Americans believe that what Israel is doing in Gaza is wrong. I am one of them. The US often stands by Israel, perhaps because it is a democracy, or because it’s a Jewish state in unfriendly territory. Maybe it's because we need a friend in the Middle East, even one that sometimes acts as a Bully State, with Netanyahu's policies alienating others in the region, leaving his country more volatile and vulnerable. The US administration believes that the Israelis have a right to protect themselves, so we help them acquire arms and other military equipment. Then, whenever they rain down horror on the people of Gaza between ceasefires, President Obama asks them to be less aggressive, cautioning Netanyahu about his country's lack of proportionality. In other words, we send them mixed messages. As Jon Stewart puts it, "We cannot be Israel's rehab sponsor and its drug dealer."

I understand that Hamas is a vicious, rogue group of terrorists that hides its soldiers and armaments in Gaza among civilians, in churches, and in UN schools and hospitals. But, the Israelis have to know in their hearts that when they attack these targets, they are bombing innocents and revving up Hamas. If the US federal government wanted to get the mafia out of New York City, they wouldn't bomb the city to do it. There has to be a better way. After all, many Gazans live at the mercy of, and in fear of, Hamas.

Rather than finding opportunities to build rapport, Bibi continues to build and expand settlements in Palestinian territories. He erects walls and creates checkpoints with long lines that prevent Palestinian villagers from moving about freely, keeping them from tending their own olive groves and cultivating their own land, and making it difficult for them to get to other jobs outside of their villages and in Israel. How do Israelis justify their assertion of the right to keep the people of Gaza from fishing the ocean off their own shores? How does Netanyahu assume the right to keep Gazans from feeding their families? What is shocking to me is that Israelis are persecuting people unlike their own, or whom they fear, in a manner unbecoming a people who have experienced the worst persecution possible. Why would they do that unto others? Yet, 82 percent of Israelis approve of the way Netanyahu is doing business. How can that be?

What We Can Do:

Write to President Obama to tell him that you are unwilling for your tax dollars to be used to kill people in Gaza

If you disagree, feel free to express that opinion in the comments, below

If you are unfamiliar with the details of what’s going on in the Middle East these days, it’s worth checking on

Please remember that often people use the word Jews when they are actually talking about Israelis; not all Jews are fans of Israel or Israeli occupation

Putin’s Very Own Little Crime Scene

July 17, 2014

Flight 17 was shot down on July 17th, killing all 298 people aboard, most of whom were Dutch, Malaysian and Australian citizens. Though Pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine claim they are not guilty, there are huge gaps left filled with doubt. Plus, Russia’s Putin has kept making his moves on Ukraine, and not just in Crimea. He, like Netanyahu, is an unethical land-grabber with no conscience about human cost. But there are really no surprises here, since the Russian-built missile launchers come from... guess where. But, whoever the hotshots involved in the downing of this and earlier flights are, the truth will eventually rear its head, that is if all the real evidence hasn’t been totally compromised after the rebels allowed – or perhaps encouraged – anyone who showed up to feel free to trample the “crime scene.” Anyone who has ever watched more than one episode of any CSI show on television could have done a better job with the site. Surely, there is some version of crime scene tape in the Ukraine, and we know there are enough munitions there to keep tramplers and looters from rendering the scene unproductive.

What We Can Do:

Find out why what happens in Ukraine impacts us here at home

Learn the locations of other dangerous air zones

If you are called to travel near these zones, ask your airline to tell you how they navigate around the zone

Followers

HAITI NEEDS OUR HELP

The NGO's serving, saving and restoring lives in Haiti are deeply in need of our support. After previous disasters in Haiti where corruption was rife, Common Dreams, which contributes “News & Views” for the progressive community, urges those of who would like to contribute that “In lieu of sending money to organizations with a dubious history in Haiti, those wanting to contribute to relief efforts were encouraged to support Haitian-led grassroots organizations like Konbit Sole Leve and Sakala, which have been providing emergency assistance and shelter."

OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEED YOUR SUPPORT:

The organizations profiled below can fill the needs presented by society while also respecting the needs of the environment.

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Founded in 1954, The Humane Society of the United States celebrates animals and confronts cruelty — to all animals, not just dogs and cats. The HSUS takes on the biggest transformational fights to stop large-scale cruelties, such as animal fighting, puppy mills, factory farming, and the wildlife trade. They will pass anti-cruelty laws in every single nation, end extreme confinement of farm animals in cages, stop cosmetic testing on animals, halt cruelty to wildlife, and transform the landscape for pets in poverty. The HSUS and their affiliates also care for more than 100,000 animals each year, through their rescue teams, sanctuaries and wildlife centers, free veterinary care for low-income pet owners, and many other life-saving programs.www.humanesociety.org

PROJECT ALS

ALS is a brain disease that is closely related to Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s. Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS targets brain cells called motor neurons. Motor neurons send messages from the brain to muscles throughout the body. In ALS, as motor neurons die, a person progressively loses the ability to walk, speak, swallow, and breathe. In 1998, Jenifer Estess, a 35-year-old New York theater and film producer, was diagnosed with ALS. Her doctor told her to “max out her credit cards and eat junk food.” At that time clinicians and scientists were working separately on varying aspects of the disease. There was no structured effort underway to solve ALS until Jennifer Estess and her sisters formed this powerful NGO, Project ALS. Though Jennifer succumbed to the disease, the work that she and her sisters began is still in progress. www.projectals.org

OCEANIC SOCIETY

People need healthy oceans to survive and to thrive. The Oceanic Society works to improve ocean health by addressing the root cause of its decline — human behavior. Simply put, the oceans are in trouble because people are putting too much into and taking too much out of them. Through our conservation travel programs, marine research, and investments in conservation, we are inspiring and empowering people at all levels of society to become better stewards of ocean ecosystems. Our mission is to conserve marine wildlife and habitats by deepening the connections between people and nature. You can learn more about how you can help the Oceanic Society through volunteering, donating, following your favorite species, and not throwing plastics in our waterways. After all, we don't want our garbage to destroy the oceans. www.oceanicsociety.org

REFOUNDRY

Refoundry is an innovative not-for-profit that trains people who were formerly incarcerated to refurbish and repurpose discarded materials into unique furnishings. This helps them to create businesses and to support their communities. Prisons in the U.S. are big businesses, so there is less effort to rehabilitate inmates and teach them usable skills, than to warehouse large numbers of them for profit. So, there is a great need to support the 700,000 prisoners set free each year in their quest for gainful employment. Refoundry does just that. www.refoundry.org

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Started in 2006 and backed by over 400,000 veterans, military family members, and their supporters, the mission of VoteVets.org is to use public issue campaigns to give a voice to veterans on matters of national security, veterans' care, and every day issues that affect the lives of those who served and their families. www.votevets.org

FILMS & SHOWS NOT TO MISS!

RACING EXTINCTION

Don't miss Racing Extinction, now viewable on Netflix. The producers of this film, which is helmed by Louie Psihoyos, include the Oceanic Preservation Society and my son, Fisher Stevens. Having seen it, I can promise you it presents a revealing and important view of our planet today — from large multinational companies down to individual scientific teams doing extremely important and timely work. www.racingextinction.com

BOOKS TO READ:

Robert Reich’s work, including his pieces available on line at http://readersupportednews.org, stands among my favorite truth-telling when it comes to politics, government, and the economy of the United States. Reich's points of view are clear, concise, and above all, useful. Amazon.com says of this important writer: “Perhaps no one is better acquainted with the intersection of economics and politics than Robert B. Reich, and now he reveals how power and influence have created a new American oligarchy, a shrinking middle class, and the greatest income inequality and wealth disparity in eighty years.” I call this a must read!